Page 48 of Guarded from Danger

Lucy worries her lip. “Just us?”

“Yeah.” I lean in, kissing the tiny line etched across her forehead. “Just us. The team, and Jade and Sarah, of course. Rylan and Charlie. Charlie’s friend Erin, and her husband, Conor. So you’d have plenty of protection.”

She stares at me, clearly conflicted, indecision darkening her gaze. After a long pause, she asks, “But if I don’t want to go?”

“Then you don’t have to. And we’ll change our plans. Have everyone over in the barn instead.”

“It’s kind of hot, though. And you guys haven’t gotten the fans installed in the barn yet.”

“Luce. Whatever you want is okay. No one minds either way. Trust me, everyone will understand if you don’t feel comfortable leaving yet. I just thought… you might like a change of scenery.”

The next pause is long enough that I’m sure she’s going to say no.

But then Lucy surprises me.

Her lips curve up in a tentative smile. “It would be nice. To do something different. To feel normal again. Not that I don’t love staying home with you,” she adds quickly. “But if you’re sure it’s safe?—”

“One-hundred percent. You won’t be alone for a second. And we’ll take the company SUV; it’s practically a tank. I’ll be with you, and Dante and Niall will drive with us.”

“And we could play that old jukebox?” Pink touches her cheeks. “Maybe dance a little?”

“Absolutely. We can dance as long as you want.”

Even if the guys tease me mercilessly about it later.

Lucy snakes her arms around my waist, tilting her head back to look at me. With a genuine smile now, she says, “Okay, Xavier. Let’s do it.”

“Are you sure?” The last thing I want is for her to feel pressured into it. “It’s really okay if you’re not ready.”

“I want to.” Her chin lifts. “Am I scared? A little. But I also don’t want to spend my life being afraid. I want to go out with you and your friends. Do normal, couple-y things. Dance with my boyfriend.”

My lips quirk. “Even if I have two left feet when I dance?”

“Yes.” That Lucy-glow lights up her face as her smile gets even bigger. “Even then.”

I wasn’t kiddingabout having two left feet.

Move through enemy territory without making a sound? No problem. Balance on the ledge of a building twenty feet off the ground? Easy. Leap from one rooftop to another in the dark of night, knowing a misstep could end in terrible injury or death? I’m totally confident.

But trying not to stomp on Lucy’s feet while we dance and maintaining some semblance of rhythm?

Forget it.

By the end of the third dance, Lucy’s lips are quivering and she’s biting her cheek to keep from laughing. But she hasn’t complained once. Not when I clipped her toes or spun her the wrong way for the tenth time, and not even when I nearly ran over Jade and Niall, who made the unwise choice to venture near us.

With each misstep and subsequent apology, Lucy just hugged me and said, “It’s fine, Xavier. I’m just happy to be here.”

My teammates were nearly peeing themselves as they watched my sad attempt at dancing, but they used admirable restraint by stifling their guffaws and swallowing back the snarky comments I’m sure they were dying to make. I know it’s not for my benefit, but Lucy’s—like me, they’re so pleased to see her having a good time, they wouldn’t do anything to ruin it.

And sheishaving a good time.

That’s not something Lucy could fake, not around me, not when I’ve become so attuned to her moods. If she was scared or uncomfortable or wanted to leave, I would know. I’d see the tension in her shoulders or the tight set of her jaw. I’d see the fear shadowing her gaze.

But I don’t see any of those.

She looked a little nervous when we first got here, but that quickly faded. Halfway through our first dart game, Lucy was laughing along with the rest of us, even giving a little hoot of triumph as she scored her first bullseye. And by the time she finished one of her seltzers, she was even more relaxed, her cheeks tinged pink and her eyes bright with enthusiasm.

I was still second-guessing myself for bringing her here, wondering if I’d pushed her too quickly. If I ended up causing a flashback or panic attack, I’m not sure I could forgive myself. But with the bar closed to the public and seven former Green Berets protecting her, so far, our outing has been a resounding success.

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